Slight Food Crush

My New Friday?

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:17:00 -0600

Broccoli Green Curry Soup

I love Thursdays. It’s the day I look forward to most as soon as my alarm goes off at 6am on Monday morning. Come Wednesday at 7pm, I am done. Make a quick dinner, and I am in bed. Most people could probably handle what I do, but I have a really low fatigue threshold. I really do. Three days and 110 kids later, I need a break. But Thursday is a half day. Home by 1pm. It’s so great. I can nap, catch up readings and emails, waste time with a movie or the internet, and go grocery shopping to make a delicious, comforting dinner like the one I made this evening! A curry soup! Never have I made it, always have I wanted to! So why not make it today? I couldn’t think of any reasons not to either. So here it is!

Broccoli Green Curry Soup:

(adapted from The Stone Soup)

2 tablespoons Green Curry Paste

1/2 cup Coconut Milk

1 stalk of Broccoli

1 cup Water

1 tablespoon Sunflower Seed Butter (or any nut butter)

1/4 cup (uncooked) White Rice (optional)

Cook rice according to package directions (usually 1/2 cup water to 1/4 cup uncooked rice brought to a boil and simmered for 15 minutes)

On high heat in a pot, spoon about a tablespoon of the cream from the top of the coconut milk. Allow it to melt and bubble, then quickly add the curry paste. Let bubble for around 30 seconds until coconut and paste are all melted and incorporated.

Add the water (1 cup) and the rest of the coconut milk. Simmer.

Chop the broccoli into large pieces and add to the simmering pot. Cook until the broccoli becomes tender, yet still firm. Careful not to overcook. About 8 minutes.

Spoon in the sunflower butter (original recipe used regular peanut butter which had added sugar, so if you would like it a little sweeter add a little sugar with the nut butter). Stir the nut butter around the pot until melted.

Poor until bowl, and enjoy with rice!

(serves one, but can be easily doubled for you and a loved one!)

(Calories: 360 without rice)

Don’t get me wrong, I adore Fridays and the rest of the weekend, but Thursday just happens to be the first day of some much needed relief.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Winter or Spring?

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:37:54 -0600

White Bean and Grilled Red Pepper Omelette Wrap

It is seriously gorgeous outside right now! +5 degrees at the beginning of January in Winnipeg? For real? It’s a miracle! Well, most likely global warming, but it’s all a matter of interpretation! The little snow we do have is melting, and it’s so wet out! At this rate, perhaps I can finally have an outdoor pool party for my birthday? I childhood dream of mine! Hmmm, we’ll see.

Good thing I got my rubber boots in the mail this morning! I know what you’re thinking - “Rubber boots?! Ew.” And for the longest time I would have agreed, actually I still do agree that they’re hideous, but they’ll keep my feet dry and my fancy boots pretty! I may just have to test them out today! Too bad they came in the wrong color. I ordered the grey, black, and white ones, but received the red, navy, and white ones instead. I expected better from you Tommy Hilfiger. But they’re still cute in an ugly, rubber boot sort of way. I’ll keep ‘em. Plus, they’re the Winnipeg Jets colors, so I’ll be matchy-matchy for work. Woo! I also got a grandpa knit sweater with those cute large brown buttons. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about! New clothes are a wonderful thing.

Now on to lunch! Another wrap. Another good wrap.

White Bean and Grilled Red Pepper Omelette Wrap:

3 Button Mushrooms

1/3 cup Spinach

1/4 cup Egg Beaters Original Egg Whites

1 tablespoon White Bean and Grilled Red Pepper Dip (President’s Choice)

1 Body Wise Tortilla

Chop the mushrooms and sauté them in a small frying pan until lightly browned. Add the spinach and the egg whites.

Allow the bottom of the eggs to brown, then flip like a pancake. Do the same for the other side.

Smear the dip over the tortilla. Once the eggs are done, place on top of the dip.

Roll the tortilla into a wrap or fold like a taco!

(Calories: 145)

Happy springtime everyone…I mean wintertime! Right? I’ll get back to you on that one…

Heaven in a Bowl

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:30:00 -0600

Peanut Butter Banana “Ice Cream”

You know that feeling you get when you absolutely, got to have, “out of my way old lady”, need some dessert? Well that was me a little over an hour ago. I had a relatively early dinner (4:30-5:00) which I generally do when I’m home alone. And as soon as I finished, and I’m talking about seconds (milliseconds even, no while I was still eating!) I had that sudden craving for something sweet. “But I can’t”, I told myself. I have been eating really good this past week (trying to make up for the mountain of food I ate over the holidays) that I couldn’t screw it all up now! So I contemplated what I should do. Spoonful of Nutella? No, nothing. Handful of raisins? No, you can’t. Greek almond candies? No, Melanie. Broken gingerbread house? Melanie, be strong! Dried cereal? Wow, seriously? Then it hit me! BANANA ICE CREAM! Ice cream is my favorite dessert of all time, and my biggest junk food weakness. So how then is this a healthy choice? Because it’s made out of bananas! You read that right! Frozen bananas when blended transform into a creamy, sweet bowl of deliciousness closely resembling that of ice cream! I added a few other ingredients, and it was heaven. Pure heaven.

Peanut Butter Banana “Ice Cream”:

1 frozen Banana (chopped)

1 tablespoon smooth Peanut Butter

1 tablespoon Maple Syrup

splash of Almond Milk (about 1/8 cup)

Throw everything into a blender and blitz until smooth. You may need to poke the mixture throughout the process to help everything along.

It may come out a little runny, so put it back into the freezer for a while until you get the consistency you desire (if you can wait that long).

*I used all natural peanut butter (the only ingredient listed is “100% freshly toasted peanuts), sugar-free maple syrup, and non-dairy milk. So it’s all natural, sugar free, and dairy free. Healthy dessert really can’t get much better than this.

(Calories: 220)

I’m dedicating this post to my amazing, loving, and patient boyfriend, Adam. You know why!

He actually also loves ice cream :)

I love you!

Dug Up

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:02:00 -0600

Homemade Mixed Nut Milk

I just found this recipe that I had saved. I wrote it up the night I made some nut milk and was going to post it as soon as I had taken a picture. However, I never got around to snapping a photo so this recipe sadly was forgotten. Now that I’ve discovered it again, I’m totally going to share it because it’s a good one :)

So I really only drink almond milk, and I had run out of it one day. I really didn’t feel like making a trip to the grocery store and I always have nuts in the cupboard, so I thought i’d make my own! It was really easy and the end result is delicious!

Homemade Mixed Nut Milk:

(adapted from For The Love of Food)

1 cup Mixed Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, brazil nuts)

4 cups Filtered Water

Sweetener to taste (optional)

Measure mixed nuts and put into a container, cover with water, and put in the fridge overnight (at least 8-12 hours)

In the morning (or after time has elapsed), drain the nuts.

Next, put the nuts into a blender and blend with 4 cups of filtered water until smooth. Now you can add a sweetener of choice, if desired (maple syrup, vanilla, dates, cinnamon, stevia). Not too much, just enough to sweeten it a little. I omitted the sweetener.

To remove little chunks and to make your milk thinner, strain milk mixture through a cheesecloth (recommended). I didn’t have a cheesecloth, so I used a coffee filter.

Keep in the fridge, should last around 4 days.

Serve hot or cold! :)

The milk tasted great, except the coffee filter method of straining didn’t work. The result was chunky milk. I actually really enjoyed it this way because I only used it in oatmeal and cereal, so it added a really yummy nutty flavor. If you plan on drinking it straight, I’d highly recommend you use a cheesecloth. I plan on going out and buying some soon so I can try it again.

New Year. New Post. Why not.

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:29:00 -0600

Tzatziki Veggie Wrap

As if I haven’t posted since last year. Has it really been that long? Actually, it has. Not just three days as my cheesy first line implies, but a whole three months.

To be honest, I haven’t been cooking up anything worth sharing. I bet you wouldn’t be running to read my blog if I posted about the continuous sandwiches I consumed at work. Don’t hate. They are thoughtfully and carefully prepared by a generous school to nourish the kids after a long, hard hockey session (well they’re only on for an hour and are asking for water half the time, but they love us it) - complete with granola bar, fruit and a juice box. And there are quite often some lunches leftover for us leaders. Nice! Sometimes I change it up. Turkey one day, ham the next, and if I’m feeling extra adventurous corned or roast beef. Sure, they were great for the first couple weeks, and so convenient and cheap (ahem…freeee), but one can only take so many sandwiches. My new year’s resolution: eat less sandwiches. Make own lunch. If tasty, share recipe.

Wow, did I really go on that whole paragraph about those lunches? See, aren’t you glad I kept it to to one post, and not every day for the last three months? You’re welcome! Ha. Well I hope to cook more and share about my creations. I really do. :)

Anyway, while everyone’s returning to school and work this week, I still have a week until I go back. The perks of working with elementary school students is that I only have to work while they’re at school. So, I went grocery shopping yesterday and good thing i did, because my fridge was empty. Spent the holidays at my parents and cleared most if it out before I left. At the store, I came across some tzatziki. Without even a second thought, I threw it in my basket. It’s a greek yogurt sauce most commonly found in gyros (greek pita wrap - so good). And today, I had to have some. So, I made a wrap!

Tzatziki Veggie Wrap:

1 Body Wise Tortilla

1 tablespoon Tzatziki

1/4 cup Uncle Ben’s Minute Brown Rice

1/4 of a Red Bell Pepper

1/3 cup Spinach

Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring 1/4 cup of water to a boil with the brown rice. Once at a boil, lower the heat and allow to simmer for five minutes. I added salt and pepper to the rice as it simmered.

In the meantime, spread the tzatziki sauce evenly on the tortilla.

When the rice has absorbed all of the water, add the spinach and allow to wilt slightly.

Spread the rice mixture over the tzatziki.

Finally, place the red peppers on top.

Have fun rolling it into a wrap. I know I did. The result was a little messy ;) But it was so good!

(Calories: 180)

Happy New Years! May 2012 bring you less sandwiches and more variety! (Well, metaphorically, of course)

More Than Enough

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:07:00 -0500

Cranberry Apple Baked Oatmeal

Did you know that everything at Dollarama is really only one dollar? A couple of weeks ago, my mom and I went to buy some dishes at this budget store (as I am on a limited budget). We found some good stuff! We were able to find some cute rounded square white bowls, silver-topped jars, baking dishes, and a salad bowl! It all came to about twelve dollars. Now, I’m not expecting these things to last a lifetime, but at least if anything breaks I can just walk over to the dollar store and replace it…for only a dollar! I think our little apartment is now complete. We’re actually running out of room to keep everything. As long as we don’t run out of toilet paper again, we’ve got everything we need and then some.

I’ve been using my new white bowls for a while now, but I had yet to use my baking dishes. Until this morning! I made a delicious baked oatmeal, much resembling a cobbler. Dessert for breakfast? That can never be a bad thing. Well, almost never. Okay, it’s usually not the greatest idea. But this is healthy and it only tastes like dessert, it’s most definitely a balanced, nutritious breakfast. My first attempt was a success. I can’t wait to try other flavor combinations.

Cranberry Apple Baked Oatmeal:

(adapted from Everybody Likes Sandwiches)

1/2 cup Quick Oats

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg

1 tablespoon Dried Cranberries

1/2 Gala Apple (chopped)

1/2 cup Almond Milk

1/3 cup Cranberry Juice

1 tablespoon sugar-free Maple Syrup

1 tablespoon Walnuts (chopped)

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a small bowl, mix everything together except the walnuts.

Transfer to a lightly greased individual-sized baking dish (like the ones used for creme brulee). Top with walnuts.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Scoop into a bowl, and top with a little more milk.

(Calories: 320)

Oh, and my parents also bought me a Tassimo coffee maker over the weekend, totally out of the blue. Good thing too, because I missed my morning coffee.

Well, It’s suppose to go up to 29 degrees today (84 degrees for my American friends). Fantastic!

Happy morning! :)

I've Got a Feeling

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:50:00 -0500

Caramelized Pumpkin Risotto

I am writing on beautiful autumn evening. Weather that is usually experienced at the end of summer, we are now enjoying at the beginning of October. But it is in fact fall. The leaves are still falling, and the sun is setting early. Normally I would say that I wish I were outside right now enjoying this uncommonly pleasant night, but not tonight. Tonight I would much rather be where the rest of the city appears to be (informed by various social media updates) - at the Kings of Leon concert. To be honest, I am not a huge music fan (please refrain from throwing objects at me). I grew up surrounded by music, but never truly caught on. I can definitely appreciate a good tune, a playful melody, or a catchy beat, but don’t expect me to know the words or the lead singer of the band. I am much the same way with movies. My library is slim.

But KOL is one of the few bands I really enjoy. There was a period in my life (about three years ago) where I’d listen to them on repeat. Their music now reminds me of that time. I had gone on a trip with my best friend, and it was the start of something wonderful. I was starting a new life. I was discovering who I was, and developing into the person I wanted to be. Now I find myself with that same amazing person, and I couldn’t be happier. Whenever I hear “Sex on Fire” or “Use Somebody” I can’t help but think of him us - of us - and where it all began.

I guess that’s what music means to me. Music to me is more than just a song heard, it’s a preserved memory. In that, when you hear that familiar sound, feelings you had rush through your body and your body is filled emotion, and you’re immediately transported back to a place in time. It’s uncontrollable. It’s nostalgic. I need that connection when I listen to music, which is why I do not have a large collection of artists and albums waiting to be played in my iTunes.

So why am I not at the concert? Well, I am not exactly financially able to be going to concerts, or having fun in other words. Ha. I just moved into an apartment, got a new job, and I’m adjusting to these new settings. Once I get my first paycheque, I’ll be fun again. But until then, I need to make fun happen with what I’ve got, which brings me to the recipe. I have been having eggs and pasta everyday for the past, oh…month! I am tired of having the same meals day after day. it’s cheap and easy, but no fun. To remedy this, I decided to look at some online blogs for inspiration. I wasn’t having any luck. I didn’t have any of the ingredients. As a last resort, I browsed through my saved recipes. I came across “Creamy Pumpkin Risotto”. I knew I had pumpkin puree and rice. If worse came to worst, I could boil some rice and dump some mushy pumpkin over top. Anything was better than eggs and pasta. But to my surprise, I had everything! Well, mostly. I subbed a couple of the items, but it wasn’t a meal breaker. It actually turned out quite yummy.

Caramelized Pumpkin Risotto:

(adapted from Hungry Girl)

1/2 teaspoon Garlic (minced)

1/3 cup Onion (chopped)

3 button Mushrooms (sliced)

3/4 cup Cauliflower (chopped)

1/4 cup Brown Basmati Rice

3/4 cup Water

3 tablespoons Almond Milk

1/4 cup Pumpkin Puree

1 oz Cheddar Cheese

1 tablespoon light Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a non-stick pot over medium-high heat, saute the garlic and onions with a little bit of olive oil. When the onions are translucent, add the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms have darkened, put in the cauliflower and cook until flavors have combined. About 2 minutes. Add the basmati rice and allow to toast for about a minute.

Slowly add the water and the almond milk. Stir in pumpkin puree.

Season the pot with some salt and pepper, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once bubbling, lower to medium-low heat. Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until all the liquid has absorbed.

Stir in the cheddar and parmesan cheese.

Spoon into a bowl, and enjoy a beautiful autumn dinner!

(Calories: 385)

Haha my pictures make me laugh. It’s better than it looks!

The only thing I’d suggest would be to add a little more water (around 1/4 cup more) and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes. The rice wasn’t completely cooked, but all the liquid had soaked in. The flavors were there though! Yum!

While the rest of Winnipeg is listening to Kings of Leon live, I am surprisingly quite content with the same tunes coming out of my macbook. But one day I will see them in concert. And it will be amazing.

I’ll take one of each, please.

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:01:45 -0500

I’ll take one of each, please.

Totally Legit

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:34:00 -0500

Healthiest Pizza

Yep, I am still in Mississippi. But I’m in my final week, and it’s a little bitter sweet. I’m going to miss a lot here down, but I am also really excited to get back to Winnipeg to move into my new apartment and to start working again. It’s going to be an exciting year of no school and discovering what I am going to do with my life. Time to become a working woman. Joy. I do have a couple potential job prospects. Send good vibes my way, I need to pay the bills. If worse comes to worst, I can make a mean latte. I can always go back to serving coffee ;)

Anyway, on to more important things. I was really skeptical about this recipe, and I was actually weirded out with the first couple bites. But as I continued eating, it began to taste really, really good. Like, really. It’s not your traditional pizza, but it’s a great alternative! I will definitely be making this again!

Healthiest Pizza:

(adapted from blogilates)

Crust:

1/4 cup Quick Cooking Oats

1 tablespoon Flaxseed Meal

1 medium Egg

Toppings:

3 tablespoons pureed Tomatoes (canned)

2 tablespoons frozen Peas

1 small bunch Broccoli Florets (about a 1/4 cup)

2 tablespoons shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan Cheese

(use whatever toppings you want, this is all we had in the apartment)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine oats, flaxseed, and egg and mix well. Spread on a baking sheet or pie tin, and form into a flat circle.

Cook for around 15-20 minutes.

In the meantime, cut up the broccoli and defrost the peas. Or prepare whatever veggies you decide to use.

When the crust is done, spread the tomato sauce all around. Top with your veggies of choice and sprinkle with cheese.

Put back into a 350F oven for about 10-15 minutes.

Pull it out when it’s done, slice, and enjoy!

SO good!

(iPhone photo)

The original author of this recipe stated that this pizza is “totally legit”. She is so right.

20 Quick and Healthy Breakfast Ideas 1. Raspberry orange...

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:44:00 -0500

20 Quick and Healthy Breakfast Ideas

1. Raspberry orange pomegranate smoothie

2. Poppy seed bagel with lox and fixins

3. Kashi Heart to Heart cereal with fresh raspberries and 1% milk

4. Whole wheat banana chocolate chip muffin

5. Peanut butter yogurt dip

6. Quinoa porridge

7. The Green Monsta

8. Egg sandwich with baby spinach

9. Whole wheat waffles with peanut butter and sliced bananas

10. Whole wheat French toast kabobs with fresh fruit

11. Peanut butter and jelly on an English muffin

12. Old fashioned oats with kiwi, banana, mango, and grapes

13. Multigrain Cheerios with milk and a banana

14. Greek yogurt with fresh berries and a sprinkle of Grape Nuts

15. 1/2 bagel with reduced fat cream cheese, fried egg, sauteed red and green peppers

16. Breakfast Bruschetta

17. Pomegranate Parfait

18. Trail mix

19. Ezekiel bread toasted with cashew nut butter and sliced persimmon

20. 1/2 red grapefruit, 1 slice of Ezekiel bread toasted and 2 hard boiled eggs

Missin' the 'Ssippi

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 23:42:00 -0500

Lemon Spinach Pasta

I’m back home! I’ve been here for about a week now, and will be sticking around for yet one more. Then I’m off to Quebec to visit my bestie! I’ll be there for a little over a week (give or take a few days), then it’s back down to Mississippi. I’ve been moving around a lot this summer, but what better time then when I have nothing tying me down. No job, no school. It only makes sense. It’s been great spending so much time with Adam, and being able to go visit Christi in Quebec. Christi and I only see each other once a year, and it’s actually my turn to go visit her (we unintentionally take turns). So, I’m pretty excited. Also, I’ve never been to Quebec in the summer. I’m looking forward to seeing it in all it’s summer beauty! But, wow, It’s hard to believe this summer is already halfway through, and I cannot wait to see what the rest will uncover. I’ve already met so many great people in Mississippi. Not to mention the cutest two year old ever. Looking forward to my fist pump, Holden. And I’m kind of missing the country music. I had it blaring in the car this afternoon. What the heck is wrong with me? Needless to say, I miss you Mississippi. No, that’s not true. I miss the people and the memories. And Adam. I miss Adam. I’ll be with him soon though :) Until then, I’ll enjoy some much needed girl time in Q-City!

Now onto food. I normally don’t have pasta without tomato sauce, yet alone like it, but despite that I decided to give this recipe a try because I really love spinach and lemon. And you know what? I really liked it! I don’t usually take well to oil, so I substituted some water to reduce the amount of oil needed for the recipe (add about 2-3 teaspoons instead of water). It turned out quite nicely!

Lemon Spinach Pasta:

(adapted from Week of Menus)

75g Whole Wheat Spaghettini (one serving)

1/4 cup Red Onion (chopped)

1 tsp Olive Oil

1/2 tsp Minced Garlic

2 wedges Lemon (juice and zest)

1 cup Spinach (packed)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Chop the onions and fry them in a warm frying pan with a couple tablespoons of water (or oil). Cook until softened. When water begins to cook away, just keep adding more until the onions have cooked fully.

Add olive oil and garlic and fry on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Then, add lemon zest and juice, along with salt and pepper. Cook for another couple minutes.

Meanwhile, boil water and cook the pasta until al dente.

When pasta is done, add the pasta and spinach to the pan of lemon oil and toss until combined and spinach has wilted.

Pour into plate, and enjoy :)

(calories: 355)

Fact of the day: I’m starting to really enjoy spicy food. I had a couple of experiences in Mississippi that raised my tolerance levels a little a lot. So, when I make this again, I think I’ll add some red pepper flakes.

Traditional Quebecois poutine and crepes, I’m on my way!

One Month In

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:07:59 -0500

Quinoa with Salsa and Feta

Where are crayons and markers when you need them? I’m alone in the apartment on a rainy day. It poured all day yesterday, too. It’s been so hot and humid ever since I arrived in Mississippi over a month ago that the rain was bound to fall. And the forecast predicts rain for the remainder of the week. Lovely. There’s nothing like dark skies and gloomy weather to brighten up my day.

Like I said, I’ve been here over a month - longest I’ve ever been away from home. It’s been an interesting experience. Some good, some not so good. Let’s just say it’s been a complete lifestyle change, and I’m still adjusting. Living with three guys who endure long working schedules is tough. But knowing I get to see Adam at the end of the day makes the long, empty days at the apartment worth it. I just have to put my neediness aside and understand what he came down here to do - work.

The guys and I went to Krogers a couple nights ago and I managed to ~~sneak in~~ pick up a few familiar items. I managed to put this together for dinner.

Quinoa with Salsa and Feta:

1/4 cup Quinoa

2 tablespoons Red Lentils (just threw a bit in the pot)

1/2 cup broccoli

1/3 cup Button Mushrooms (sliced)

1 cup Spinach

3 tablespoons medium Salsa

1 tablespoon crumbled Feta Cheese

Pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 450F and roast the broccoli and mushrooms for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa and lentils. Put them in a pot with about 2/3 of a cup of water. Add pepper. Boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.

With a about a minute left until the quinoa and lentils are done, add the spinach to the pot to wilt.

Once done, add the broccoli and mushrooms to the pot. Mix to combine.

Put into a bowl and top with salsa and feta cheese.

(calories: 330)

note to self: black bowl on a black background, not the best idea ever.

Exactly

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:29:00 -0500

No, this is not a recipe (hopefully some coming soon though), but a personal aside on how I’ve been feeling lately. I came across a blog post this morning and could relate to a lot of what the writer expressed. She shares her experiences of being on vacation and struggling to maintain her body weight and figure.

Living in Mississippi for the past month, I can definitely empathize:

Feeling Fat and Failing (source: blogilates)

“I originally was going to post this last Wednesday but opted not to because after reading, I felt like such a whiny loser! But as I was going through some of my comments on facebook, I saw that a few of my fans were feeling alone and discouraged in their weight loss journey. Well guys, believe me when I say YOU ARE NOT alone. Even a fitness “guru” can fall. And choose to not get back up.

Now, for those of you that are regular readers of Blogilates, this is not a normal post. It is not inspirational or motivational. But it’s real. And it’s feelings. And I want to share with you what was going through my head last week when I CHOSE NOT TO WORKOUT because I hated how I felt and how I looked.

You’re probably thinking, what? Cassey had a negative thought and let it get to her head? Yes. I let it get to my head. My willpower was completely gone.

THE BACKSTORY:

Before I left for my 2 big trips in May (China and Hawaii), I had gone through a SUPER INTENSE 8 Week experiment with one of my trainer friends. We ate and worked out like “beasts” to build muscle and lean out. I strength trained and did cardio 6 days a week and followed a very strict meal plan that required me to even fast one of the days! (I don’t suggest doing that at all. I made him change the meal plan for me because I had no energy.) At the end of the 8 weeks, I was amazed at how my body looked. I lost 8 lbs and went from 24% body fat to 17.5% body fat. I could see lines and definition that I had only seen in magazines. Although I have always been generally satisfied with my figure, that first week of May was the first time IN MY LIFE that I had ever looked at myself in the mirror wearing a bikini, and loved it. It is one of the best feelings in the world. Accomplishment. Confidence. Strength. All wrapped up in a pretty gray and lime 2-piece.

Anyway, when I got back from my trips, I knew I had I gained weight. As I was traveling, I was constantly irritated inside - not being able to cook for myself, having to eat and socialize the way others wanted, and actually being able to see the fat around my belly bulge out farther and farther everyday was horrific. Staying on track with your diet (or even just eating healthily) when traveling with others with different eating habits is one of the hardest things I have ever had to experience. It was like a self-imposed diet suicide.

Now I know you’re going to say, “Well Cassey you were on vacation, it’s ok.” Yes, I understand it is ok to indulge every once in a while. But too bad I didn’t even let myself enjoy the indulgence because I was so worried about “ruining” my body every second I was eating. You’re probably thinking, “But you consciously made those decisions to eat what you did. So you need to own up to it.” Yes, you’re right. I did make those decisions and I was 100% aware of what I was doing to my hard work. But you can’t enjoy yourself when those decisions were compromised decisions in which a bunch of social factors were involved.

Okay…I am totally going off an a tangent here, I need to get back to my point. My POINT IS that I gained weight after the trips as a result of bad eating and was feeling like the lowest low life on earth for letting myself sabotage my bikini body.

Why do I care so much about having a bikini body you ask? Because friends, throughout my life, my body has been the one thing I feel like I have had the least control over. Yup, I was a chubby kid. Thinned out in high school. Then gained weight in college. Then lost weight after graduation. Then gained it back when I got my first job. I always knew how to get good grades, how to run businesses, how to talk to all sorts of people…but I could never figure out how to control my own weight as strong as I was. Having a bikini body was more than just a vain physical goal. To me, it meant being able to get a hold of myself at the most humanly basic level.

TRYING TO GET BACK TO WHERE I LEFT OFF:

Initially, I was very motivated to get back to the gym and eat my steamed veggies again. I thought it would take just a week of hard work to get back on track. But after 1 week of doing everything right and not seeing any progress, I thought to myself, Cassey you really screwed it up this time. That was last Wednesday.

Last Wednesday, I was at an ALL TIME LOW. All I could do was stare of myself in the mirror, pinch my fat, and cry about how fat I had gotten. Could 8 weeks of hard work really be ruined in 2 I kept asking myself? Apparently. It wasn’t just a scale thing, clothes were tighter, I was puffing, and my energy was low. I hated what I saw in the mirror. I tried to get myself to workout that morning. Couldn’t do it, so I said, ok maybe before I teach Pilates. Didn’t make it in time. Taught class wearing one of my looser fitting “fat day” shirts and when class finished I was like ok, I’m here now, let’s do this. But for some reason I was fighting so hard and finding every excuse to NOT get moving. It was one of the weirdest feelings ever.

I can’t tell you why I did this, but I fought with myself in my head for a good 2 minutes in front of the cardio machines, then grabbed my keys and drove home.

I let my feelings take over. I felt like a big loser for not sucking it up and even doing a light weight lifting session. Anything! Instead I opted to just give up all together. I was so sad that when I came home, ate a lot, and went to bed in tears.

THEN WHAT?

I jumped right back the next day. It ended up taking me an additional 1 week to get back to my pre-vacay body. But today I am writing this post and am feeling good.

CONCLUSION:

It is okay to give up, feel bad for yourself, and eat away your tears. Just take a shower, go to bed, and start over tomorrow. The most important thing here is RESILIENCE. I guess I just needed a break last Wednesday as my mind was exhausted from trying to reach a certain weight within a set amount of time.

If you have been working out and eating clean and not seeing results, make sure you have given it at least a good 3-6 weeks before you judge. If you can’t find the willpower to keep going, that means what you’re doing may not be working for you. You need to enjoy working out and enjoy what you’re eating because it has to be your lifestyle. Change it up.

Losing fat and gaining muscle is a slow process. You’ve got to allow yourself to understand that and it will make the whole journey a lot less discouraging. If you ever feel like giving up, just remember that dieting is HARD. No one said it was going to be easy. But I am here with workouts that are fun and the POP pilates community is here to support you through it with their own experiences. (OMG this sounds like an Aladdin Bail Bonds commercial.)

That’s all. This post was too long. I explained way too much. Oh well, I hope some of you read through this and got something out of it.

So…yes I feel fat sometimes too and yes it is okay to fail.

<3 you guys. Stay strong!

Cassey”

Summer? Is That You?

Mon, 16 May 2011 13:57:08 -0500

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

Well yesterday was the first time (in what seemed like forever) that the sun came out! I spent the majority of the day outside enjoying the warmth and sunshine. After a couple hours, I noticed I was getting a little darker. It’s the middle of May and I’m already getting a tan? Score! However, I was wearing my sunglasses so I didn’t realize until a couple of hours later that the golden hue that I thought I was achieving was actually more of a color resembling that of a ripe, red tomato. Yep, I burned. It never crossed my mind to put sun tan lotion on in 18C degree weather, but that sun sure showed what it’s capable of. At least I’ve got a good head start for the summer.

Anyway, this might be my last post in a little while. Summer holidays are officially about to begin and I may not be around as much. Or maybe I will? Not sure. But if I am absent for the next couple months, or so, I couldn’t leave without one more recipe. In honor of summer, I wanted to post a smoothie recipe. It’s so good, and tastes just like a milkshake! The frozen banana is the secret ;)

Blueberry Banana Smoothie:

1 Banana (frozen)

1/4 cup Blueberries (frozen)

100g Flavoured Yogurt (i used PC Blue Menu Fat Free Finesse Mango and Passion Fruit)

1 tablespoon Crunchy Peanut Butter

2/3 cup Almond Milk

1 teaspoon Green Tea Matcha Powder

Just put everything into your blender, and blend away!

(calories: 300)

So delicious!

Have a wonderful summer, and do not underestimate the power of the sun! *dun dun dun*

Last One

Fri, 13 May 2011 16:44:00 -0500

Pumpkin Bites

Last day of baking. Phew. You know I’ve overdone it when my dad tells me I should probably slow down. Haha, that really does say a lot! I assured him that today would be my last. And it’s a good one :) No added sugar, tons of fiber, good fats, protein, and vitamin A.

Pumpkin Bites:

(adapted from Snack Girl)

1/2 cup Peanut Butter

12 ounces Pumpkin Puree

3/4 cup Walnuts (chopped)

1/3 cup Raisins

24 Prunes (chopped)

1 cup Quick Oats

2 teaspoons Cinnamon

3 tablespoons Honey

Preheat your oven to 350F degrees.

In a bowl, blend together the peanut butter and the pumpkin puree.

Chopped the walnuts and the prunes. Then add them along with the raisins into the pumpkin mixture.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well until everything is evenly distributed.

Spoon the mixture into muffin cups in a muffin pan. Bake for 35 minutes.

Should make 12 large pumpkin bites.

(calories: 215 each)

And last ingredient-less round up: no walnuts, no raisins, no pumpkin, no honey, and just enough oats for one more breakfast. Whew. What a week! I still have a little bit left, but I am so baked out for now, and my dad has reached his sugar limit (didn’t even know he had one!). I’ll just have to give my parents some ideas, so the few items I do have left don’t go bad.

A Little Better

Thu, 12 May 2011 16:04:00 -0500

Kitchen Sink Granola Bars

For today’s baking adventure, I’ve decided to steer away from the cookies and try something a little different. Granola Bars! I feel a lot better having these in the house, while they do still have sugar, it’s not the processed kind. They have a lot of fiber, protein, good fats, vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese too! I’ve also really wanted to make granola bars for a while now, so I’m glad I was finally able to! Way better (and funner!) then what you’d buy at the grocery store. Granola bars for the win!

Kitchen Sink Granola Bars:

(very loosely adapted from Healthy Food For Living)

Cooking spray

1 cup Jam (i used apricot and raspberry - both sugar free)

1 cup Nut Butter (i used almond butter, sunflower seed butter, soy nut butter and peanut butter!)

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

2 cups Quick Oats

2 cups Puffed Cereal (i used puffed corn, and chopped it into smaller pieces)

1 cup Dried Fruit (i used dates, mango, apricots, and raisins)

1 cup chopped Nuts and Seeds (i used pecans, walnuts, and sunflower seeds)

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.

Line a baking pan** with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment comes over the sides of the pan so that the bars are easy to remove. Spray with cooking oil.

In a large bowl, mix together the jam, honey, nut butter, and vanilla extract.

Add the oats, cereal, dried fruit and nuts/seeds. Stir until all is incorporated and evenly distributed.

Spread the mixture evenly into the pan and bake for 20 minutes.

Wait until they are completely cooled before cutting them.

Makes around 16 bars.

**Note. I don’t know the dimensions of the dish i used, but I managed to fit most of the batter into it. The dish was pretty big. When the mixture was spread out it was about 1-1 1/2 inches high.

(calories: 230 per bar) - very approximate!

Okay, no nut butter (single tear), no apricots, no pecans, no jam, and almost done my oats. My cupboard is looking mighty empty. This is so great!

And So It Continues

Wed, 11 May 2011 16:01:00 -0500

Nutty Nutella Cookies

Another day of baking, and I’m starting to regret my baking frenzy decision. One recipe a day in order to get rid of my ingredients seemed like a good idea in theory. But after three days, I have enough desserts to go into a sugar coma lasting for months or treat a hoard of hyperactive children. Not good. Instead of toning up for summer, I’m testing my self-control. So far I’ve only had one from each of the three recipes, but if I want to look good at the beach, I can’t have all this sugar in the house! It is keeping me busy though, and I love seeing how the raw ingredients transform into tasty treats. Just need to add a little to my daily work-out. I’ll get on that.

Anyway, these ones were so good! The last two days I waited until after supper to indulge, but today, I had one as soon as they came out of the oven. Chewy and crunchy around the edges, and soft and gooey in the center. It’ll be hard to stay away from these!

Nutty Nutella Cookies:

(adapted from Stylish Cuisine)

1 1/3 cups Whole Wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Celeb Margarine, softened (orignal recipe asked for butter (recommended), which i didn’t have)
1/2 cup Nutella
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup chopped Pecans (you can use any type of nut)

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.

In a bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Put aside.

In another larger bowl, beat together the margarine, Nutella, and sugars. Using an electric mixer, cream the ingredients together (about 4 minute).

Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth (about 1 minute).

Incorporate the flour mixture until just combined. Add the pecans and mix just until combined.

Spoon about a tablespoon of the dough onto a lined cookie sheet, evenly spaced apart. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes. Allow them to completely cool before handling them.

haha I was a little generous with my “tablespoons” and the cookies came out gigantic! The recipe is suppose to make 36 cookies, but I glutinously made 17. Oops!

(calories: 98) - based on a 36 cookie count

With this recipe I finished off my Nutella, the margarine my dad refuses to touch, and the majority of my pecans. Nice!

mmm, I’m craving some good broccoli now.

Baking Weather

Tue, 10 May 2011 15:21:00 -0500

Peanut Butter and Banana Cherry Chocolate Chunk Cookies

It’s pretty gloomy outside today, and will continue to be for the rest of the week. So I picked a really good time to start baking! This afternoon I made some cookies!

Peanut Butter and Banana Cherry Chocolate Chunk Cookies:

(adapted from Food Doodles)

2 1/2 Bananas (mashed)

1/2 cup Peanut Butter (i used smooth, but crunchy would work!)

3 tablespoons Canola Oil

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 tablespoon Maple Syrup

2 cups Quick Oats

1/3 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup Chocolate Chips (i used pieces from a cherry dark chocolate bar)

1 tablespoon Dried Cherries (all i had left, use more!)

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Mash the bananas in a large bowl and combine with peanut butter, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.

In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Bring together the dry ingredients with the banana mixture and mix well. Add in the chocolate and dried cherries until evenly distributed.

On a lined baking sheet, spoon the dough evenly spaced apart. Smoosh down with the back of the spoon. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until edges of the cookies are lightly browned.

Let cool completely to allow for them to set. Enjoy!

(calories: 135 each)

With these cookies, I managed to use up a jar of peanut butter, bottle of oil, bag of coconut, bar of chocolate, and dried cherries! Not too shabby. Tomorrow, I think I’m going to do something with my bags of nuts. Hehe.

I’m getting there!

Photo

Tue, 10 May 2011 13:13:00 -0500

Cupboard Clean-up

Mon, 09 May 2011 16:38:00 -0500

Whole Wheat Apple and Walnut Muffins

I’m in the process of cleaning out all of my food in my parents house. I have so many nuts, dried fruits, baking items, nut butters, cereal, and so much more. I’m concentrating on that this week because I may be leaving for the summer as early as the weekend (game time decision). Also, if I’m moving out in August, I’m not going to want to bring all this food with me. New apartment and fresh start, I don’t want old food. My solution - do some baking!

Today, I made some muffins.

Whole Wheat Apple and Walnut Muffins:

(adapted from Kalyns Kitchen)

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup Wheat Bran

1/4 cup Sugar

2 tablespoons Brown Sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Salt

2 Eggs (beaten)

1 1/4 cups Buttermilk (I didn’t have this, so I mixed 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar)

3 tablespoons Canola Oil

1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla

1 Apple (peeled and diced)

1/2 cup Walnut Pieces

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a bowl, stir together flour, wheat bran, sugars, ground cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.

Beat eggs in smaller bowl, then stir in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.

Add the apple pieces and walnuts to liquid ingredients.

Add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just enough so that all the dry ingredients are moistened.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes.

Let muffins cool for a few minutes before eating.

Should make 12 muffins.

(calories: 180 each)

I’ll need to figure out how to incorporate all the boxes of cereal I have accumulated. I probably have taken over three-quarters of the pantry. I’m thinking maybe some granola or kitchen-sink cookies (cookies made with a bunch of random add-ins). Think I’d be able to pack this stuff in my suitcase to bring some baking for the boys? I’ll do some research.

Okay, wish me luck!